Audemars Piguet’s Huitième line heralded the arrival of the modern watchmaking era by combining the classic perpetual calendar chronograph aesthetic with an oversized case and an automatic movement.

The Huitième Perpetual Calendar Chronograph is a quirky combination of classic mid-century design from the 1950s and 1960s and the modernism of the 80s and 90s. The large 40 mm 18k rose-gold case is decidedly modern in appearance and features a rose-gold bezel bearing the inscription “Audemars Piguet”. 

The dial, on the other hand, invokes classic mid-century watchmaking cues. The soft opaline backdrop sports four recessed chronograph sub dials with pink gold surrounds and elegant printed serif lettering. The serif lettering is also found on the traditional tachymetric scale on the edge of the dial. The elegant look of the dial is complemented by the implementation of thin 18k rose-gold hands (and a bright red central chronograph hand) and small applied rose-gold hour markers.

The watch features a true high complication: the perpetual calendar mechanism combined with a chronograph function. The two different complications are ingeniously integrated in the sub dials. The small black polished hands in the counters at the 6, 9, and 12 o’clock positions display the day, month, leap year, and date functions. The red hands on these subdials, conversely, display the running seconds as well as the 30-minute and 12-hour chronograph totalisers. Finally, the classic moon phase functionality can be read on a creative 360 degree sundial at the 3 o’clock position.

This 25695OR dates back to 1993 and comes as a full set with the papers booklets, and the original wooden box, which doubles as a winder for the automatic movement. The watch is delivered on a burgundy alligator-leather Audemars Piguet strap with an 18k rose-gold “AP”-signed Ardillon buckle.